Norma Mae French was born to parents Charles S. French and Margaret Mae (Doughty) French in Alpena, Michigan on December 1, 1935. She grew up in Alpena and attended Alpena High School and Alpena Community College before transferring to Central Michigan University to complete her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education.
On June 21, 1958 she married Lloyd Andrew Timm in Alpena. The young couple settled first in Cheboygan and then in the Grand Rapids area, where she taught at the West Newhall public
school. They were blessed with two sons, Steven Charles and John Edward.
She then taught for 11 years at the Grand Rapids Junior Academy, during which time she completed her Master of Arts from Andrews University. Later she would teach for four years at the Traverse City Seventh-day Adventist School once the family moved to Traverse City.
She enjoyed teaching people of all ages, from preschool to high school to various adult programs. After her classroom teaching career was done she devoted the majority of her life and effort to developing seminars on stress and human relationships, a project that she continued as long as her health permitted. She also very much enjoyed music, both playing the piano and singing.
Norma died peacefully at her home with family present on September 7, 2021.
Norma was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her son John Edward, and three of her older siblings, Elizabeth Jane Dahlin, William Charles French, and Evelyn Marie Skowronek. She is survived by her son Steven Timm (Katherine Williams), and her sister Marjorie O'Henley as well as a large number of nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will take place on Sunday September 19, 2021 at 1:00pm at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church with visitation from 11:00am until the time of service. (2055 N. Four Mile Road).
Internment will be at Pleasant View Cemetery in Spruce, MI (6230 Gillard Road) on Monday September 20, 2021 at 12:00pm.
Those wishing an expression of sympathy may choose to contribute to either the Norma Timm Memorial Fund at the Traverse City Seventh-day Adventist Church or to the Cowell Cancer Center at Munson Medical Center.
Norma and her family are being cared for by the Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home.
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